ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM, KNIGHTS HOSPITALLER Under the Constitution granted in 1964 by his late Majesty King Peter II of Yugoslavia THE INTERNATIONAL HERALD PRO FIDE, PRO UTILITATE HOMINUM World Headquarters: St. Paul Street 223 Valletta VLT 1217 Malta Phone +356 2123 0712 H.E. Lieutenant Grand Master Paul M. Borg, OSJ H.E. Grand Commander Joseph Grech, OSJ H.E. Grand Hospitaller Vincent R. Bonagura OSJ H.E. Grand Counselor Boudewijn Franck, OSJ H.E. Grand Marshal Krister Thelin, OSJ 3/2020 EDITION Editor: H.E. Jan Lambrecht, OSJ TABLE OF CONTENT • Word by our Lieutenant-Grand Master 3 • Wreath of Christ, by Niels Refskou, Chairman o/t E.C. 5 • Reflections on: Where is God in this pandemic ? (B) 8 • Quote 14 • Piece of antique damask at the Headquarters 15 • In memoriam: Rev. Fr. Victor Enriquez, Malta Grand Priory (MLT) 16 • Oscarsborg Fortress Days: rewards to the sponsors (NOR) 17 • Charity: the Norwegian Radium Hospital in Oslo(NOR) 19 • Citation on Charity, 1 Corinthians 13:13 20 • Report, Priory of Victoria (AU) 21 • Quote on (in)tolerance 26 • The Covid-19 Pandemic: a paradigm changer ? by Dominic Verhoeven, (B) 27 • Pro Fide: Historic Hagia Sophia cathedral converted into a mosque 33 • Call for content 34 • Charity report King Valdemar the Great & Costa Rica Cdries. (USA) 35 • Reflections on Pluralism (B) 37 • Prioratus Flandriæ from the “old days” (B) 42 • Citation: James, 1:12. 43 • Reflections on the miraculous power of patience(B) 44 • Personalia, promotions, disclaimer & word from the editor 47 2 Paul M. BORG, OSJ LIEUTENANT-GRAND MASTER A MESSAGE FROM H.E. hardship and heavy financial expenses. Had it not THE LIEUTENANT-GRAND MASTER been for the voluntary work offered and the generous donations given by a small number of members of the Order, all this could not have been possible to achieve. Dear Brethren of Saint John of Jerusalem, However, this voluminous amount of work did not stop – nor Knights Hospitaller – OSJ (Malta), did it slow down – the Petit Conseil from keeping the Order able to uphold its main objective, namely that of continu- Since my installation as Lieutenant Grand Master in April ing to live up to its motto ‘Pro Fide, Pro Utilitate Hominum’ 2019, the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights and always be prompt in its generosity in the giving of Hospitaller [OSJ(Malta)], its Administrative Arm and the donations to help those in need and also to alleviate the International Headquarters itself have had to undergone suffering of the poor, the sick and the needy. My hope (…) necessary changes. New members have been invested into the Order while, on the other hand, a negligible few have rebelled and resigned. Others have had to be written off due to the lack of payments due to the Grand Magisterium. Apart from the then existing Priories that, some of which, have increased the number of Commanderies due to the increase of the number of members, new Priories and Commanderies have sprouted in other parts of the globe so as to be added to the ones that already existed. The International Headquarters has had to undergo heavy masonry works and an overall refurbishment due to the grievous state that it had rendered itself over the many years of daily use and of withstanding the toil of natural elements. These activities have had to be dealt with ‘on the spur of the moment’ with great difficulty, 33 Paul M. BORG, OSJ LIEUTENANT-GRAND MASTER (…) is that our members would keep their generosity alive and active enough so that the Order would be able to carry on with its charitable work. The aim of this ‘Herald’ is to keep our members up to date with the continuous governing activity of the Petit Conseil which regularly meets every six months and the works that are being undergone by Priories in their unconditional performance towards the motto of the Order. With hope and ultimately my belief that it is at present and would continue to be in the future the fervent wish and prayer of the members of our Order that the riven body of ‘The Orders’ that came to be throughout the years, would, where appropriate, be made whole as it had been during the reign of King Peter II. I salute you with affection and assure you of my remembrance of my Oath of Office. Yours in Christ & in Saint John, Paul M. BORG, OSJ, Lt.-Grand Master 34 Rev. Fr. Niels REFSKOU Chairman E.C. WREATH of CHRIST The oblong colourless beads of Silence Our thoughts are limited and words only for the visible world. At this moment you do not have to think, you do not need any words, you do not have to feel anything. There is The Evangelical Lutheran no need to do anything. You can just be where you are, in Swedish bishop emeritus peace. Let the time pass. Rest in the silence. You may Martin Lönnebo has made pray: I give away my loneliness. I receive that I am Yours. the Wreath of Christ of 18 (I am breathing out my loneliness. I am breathing in, that I pearls in 1995. It is not a am Yours.) rosary, but rather a wreath of Lutheran prayer beads. The small pearly I-bead Lönnebo has made exam- You are an image of God, even if a vanishing, fragile and ples of prayers connected wounded one. You are precious. You are not alone in the to each bead, but becau- world. When you look at your neighbour, you can see an se the beads symbolise image of God in him or her as well. You may pray: You different occasions or phases in our life and different created me as Your own image. Let me see Your image in aspects of our Christian faith we do not have to follow his myself. words literally but we can use them as a practical device to encourage prayer, a time of silence and reflection. The white bead of Baptism You may leave all your bitter memories and trustfully enter The golden bead of God a new life. God knows you and carries you tenderly in His Life is a wonder. That something arms. You may pray: You have invited me. In Your hands I exists at all, is a wonder. Learn to commend my life. wonder. Learn to trust. If God exists, there is nothing insignificant, The sand-coloured Desert bead hopeless, or meaningless. You In the desert of life there is suspicion, hopelessness, may pray: You are immense, You tiredness, temptations, sadness, fighting. These things are are near, You are the light and I also a part of your life. You may pray: Keep me holy and I am Yours. will be holy kept. Heal me and I will be healed. (…) 5 Rev. Fr. Niels REFSKOU Chairman E.C. Draw me near Yourself, and my heart will have peace. for... The touch of the bead is a prayer. Lord, You know. Jesus Christ give me mercy. Take care… The blue Carefree bead The black bead of Darkness When you are worried and restless, you may lay down your There are dark periods in life when you feel lonely and it heavy load, forget your worries and leave them in front of feels that even God has gone away. But God is faithful. the One who says: ‘Do not worry’ and ‘My peace I give Even in the darkness He will be near you... He did not unto you’. You may pray: I give away my load of worries. I abandon Jesus; He won’t abandon you either. He will hear receive Your peace. you cry and sigh. In the Night He has come nearer you. (I breathe out my worry, I breathe in Your peace.) You may pray: Out of the depths have I cried unto You, oh Lord. Lord, hear my voice. Do not abandon me. The red bead of God's love In the love of God you may feel yourself accepted and The white Resurrection bead loved.” For God so loved the world that he gave his only Breathe in quiet joy and trust. The borderline between life Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish.” and death, this world and future world, is thin and light. You may pray: You are mine and I am Yours. Your love is Today the eternity may touch you and God will dry your everlasting. tears. You may pray: Here is no time. Here is no distance. I have peace in my heart in front of You. Here I want to stay. The red bead of Sacrifice (…) God loves you. You may be like a stone warmed by the sun, giving that warmth around yourself. You can give your sacrifice. You may love and help your neighbour. You may pray for him or her. You may pray: Let me love my neighbour with Your love. The small pearly beads of my Secrets You may tell God your personal important and secret things you may not want to tell anyone else. If you cannot find the words you may just be silent. God knows and understands also prayers without a word. I give thanks / ask for / pray... I think / ask /am happy 6 Rev. Fr. Niels REFSKOU Chairman E.C. (…) I often use the Wreath of Christ when I need to consi- part of life. Jesus Christ had to stay in the desert too. der something in my life or as in the last months with And there he had to meet severe temptations.